The Rubber Board informed that increasing trend in rubber production in the country continues and the production of natural rubber (NR) during the months of July and August 2016 shows an increase of 10 and 20 percent respectively as compared to the production in the last year during the same period. If this trend continues, production of NR during the fiscal will definitely reach the anticipated 6.54 lakh tonne. The increasing trend is noticed from the month of May 2016 onwards. Increase in production as compared to last year in the months of May and July were three percent and six percent respectively.
There was a decreasing trend in the production of NR for the last few years. Untapped holdings, climate change and shortage of tappers were the reason for this. The Rubber Board is now on an intensive campaign to overcome these hurdles and also to increase production and productivity to sweep over the price crisis. A steady increase in production noticed now may be the result of these initiatives taken by the Board. Integrated efforts are being undertaken by the Board through Rubber Producers’ Societies (RPSs) and Board Companies at regional office level and field office level to improve production and productivity.

As a result of the mass contact programme conducted by the Board to improve profitability of rubber, more and more rubber growers are coming forward to adopt low frequency tapping (LFT). ‘Tapper Bank’ scheme through RPSs to overcome the shortage of tappers has also started functioning. Board also proposes to conduct skill upgradation programmes for 27000 tappers in the country, with the active cooperation of Rubber Skill Development Council.